State Government – US
*These 11 states spend more on prisons than on colleges
*What happens to all the money we forget about?
*More States Separate Prostitution, Sex Trafficking – Blog
*Numerous States Prepare Lawsuits Against Obama’s Climate Policy
*Washington initiative seeks state penalties for wildlife trafficking
*Facing epidemic, Baker seeks to limit opioid prescriptions – MA
*Long lines drive Colorado lawmakers to eye outsourcing DMV services
*California gives victims of revenge p*rn a new way to strike back
*Vaccines required for daycare workers under new California law
*America’s Child-Marriage Problem – Guest Opinion
State Government – Oregon
*Democratic candidates for Oregon secretary of state debate in Seaside
*Sprenger files for re-election to House District 17 seat
*Dennis Richardson changes tune, mulls run for secretary of state
*Southern Oregon real estate agent says he’ll run for governor
Oregon Culture
*UCC Strong begins to distribute funds
*OPB documentary chronicles Oregon Shakespeare Festival
*Throwback Thursday quiz: Can you identify these artifacts of Oregon history?
*Oxbow Trail entrance arch dedicated in Hermiston’s spirit of giving
*Roseburg, Oregon: a community of contradictions
*Guide to reserving a mountaintop lookout in Oregon
*Special Stones
*Interactive exhibits highlights food traditions of Oregon’s Latino community through storytelling
*A sailor’s dream, finished in Astoria
*Orthodox Jews streaming into Portland, thanks to new infrastructure
*What ferry? The story behind Boones, Scholls, Taylors road names
*Wild Rogue backpacking route opens in Southern Oregon
*Local UFO sightings fit national increase
Marijuana
*Marijuana use doubles, so does addiction, study says
*Opinions mixed at marijuana town hall forum
*Marijuana industry drives Denver metro area’s real estate recovery
*California marijuana market readies for ‘robust’ new era
*Pot for your pup? Startups cash in on cannabis trend
*NCSL Marijuana Overview – Report
Agriculture
*Retired professor warns farmers about genetically modified crops
*WSDA to revise rules for checking bulls for ‘trich’
*Ag technology on the rise in rural America – Guest Opinion
*Klamath Basin potato harvest finishes early
*New Christmas tree checkoff prepares for fee collection
*Washington Farm Bureau reaffirms support for coal exports
*Audit: USDA disregards GMO field trial problems
*Organic administrator faces backlash
*A Dangerous Cycle in Food Production
*Taking on the Superbugs
*App provides training for farmworkers in proper hand-washing
*Quinoa thrives in N. California
*Idaho grower experimenting with mineral oil in potato seed
*Idaho begins yearlong process to set new grazing rates
*Expert: Use fencing, buffer zones wisely
*Rangeland experts call for site-specific plans near streams
*Tiny Wasps May Help Fight Stink Bugs
*Plant center devises new wildflower seed harvest method
*Crews plant sagebrush seedlings in fire-damaged areas
*Move Over Wheat, Demand Rises For ‘Ancient’ Alternatives
Business
*Eugene’s Hynix plant sold to unidentified buyer for $20 million
*Mystery solved? Data center indicates it now owns Hynix’s Eugene chip factory
*Property at Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum faces foreclosure auction
*Social Responsibility That Rubs Right Off
*Reopening of the Siskiyou Line means trucking companies will take a hit
*Report: Portland retail sales growth highest in nation
*Where does Portland rank in office-space vacancy?
*This Oregon Man Will Write Your Opinion For You
*Craft beer is booming, but some still worry
*Jeld-Wen committed to Klamath Falls
*Woodgrain Millwork leaving Prineville
*Is Bend Becoming The Next Startup Haven?
*Georgia named one of the best states for business
Economy
*Fed Beige Book: US economy expands at moderate pace, fueled by consumer spending, auto sales
*US producer prices dropped 0.5 percent in September as gas and food costs wane
*Consumer prices fall 0.2 percent in September, pulled down by freefall in gasoline prices
*US factory output falls for 2nd straight month in latest sign of sluggish economy
*US job openings dipped in August; hiring was flat after stronger spring
*Optimism fading about economy’s strength
*Currency manipulation allows TPP partners to skirt the deal – Guest Opinion
*Yes, Portland Is Indeed A Foodie City
*Holiday shoppers expected to spend more this year
*California shows how paid leave law affects businesses: Not much
*Millennials around the world worry most about economic inequality
*Car buyers, student loans fuel record U.S. borrowing
*Employers cut jobs in most US states in September as nationwide hiring slows
*US sales of new homes sink 11.5 pct. in September; buying in Northeast plummets 61.8 pct.
Economic Development
*Washington County Lays Groundwork For More Tech Development
*Many jobs go lacking in South County
*$5 million worth of confidence in the local economy – Opinion
Elections
*Local Politics and the Malaise of the Millennials
*Gov. Brown approves automatic voter registration for Californians
*Voter ID Battle Shifts to Kansas
*Which States Could Adopt Automatic Voter Registration Next?
*Maine’s Struggle to Keep Elections Clean and Free of Big Money
*Judge bars Indiana from enforcing ‘ballot selfie law’
*Counties to work with tribal governments on voting access – MT
Courts
*Federal appeals court rules Google’s massive online library does not violate copyright laws
*Google book-scanning project legal, says U.S. appeals court
*Fired deputy district attorneys have another day in court
*Washington County judge who stopped doing weddings to retire
*Lawmakers look at public defense jurisdiction, records – ID
*Why the Supreme Court cares about your electric bill – Guest Opinion
*Washington court slams door on public’s right to know
*State gun laws upheld, but logic is complicated
*‘Snippets’ get a ‘go’ – Opinion
*Morrow County to drop county judge position
*How to Get Around a Criminal Record – Opinion
*Lawsuits Target ‘Debtors’ Prisons’ Across the Country
*The Legal Consequences of Ignoring Climate Change
*Emergency surcharge fails to meet court’s funding gap – ID
*Portland Police Hold Forums On Body Cameras
*Is Police Progress on Federal Reforms Up To Snuff?
*Experts: Washington State Patrol ‘Bleeding’ People
*F.B.I. Chief Links Scrutiny of Police With Rise in Violent Crime
*The Disproportionate Risks of Driving While Black
*Materials on 2014 Drug Guidelines Amendment
*Multistate Criminal History Patterns of Prisoners Released in 30 States – Report
Juvenile Justice
*Trends in Juvenile Justice State Legislation 2011-2015 – NCSL Report
*Major reforms afoot for juvenile offenders – MI
*PA juvenile offenders given psychiatric drugs at high rates
Social Services
*A Disadvantaged Start Hurts Boys More Than Girls
*The Myth of Welfare’s Corrupting Influence on the Poor
*Arizona first to establish lifetime limit on cash assistance program
*Child Support Digest Volume 3, Number 3
Housing
*Park district will not revisit affordable housing
*Affordable housing can fit – Opinion
*No vacancy: Creative solutions needed for affordable housing
*US home sales climb 4.7 percent in September; strong demand but few homes coming onto market
*Are Homeowners Getting Slammed For Building ‘Granny Flats?’
*Granny flat builders getting creamed by Multnomah County on their taxes
*Will The ‘State Of Emergency’ Help Solve The Homeless Crisis
*Boardman subdivision soothes demand of commuting workforce
*S.F. teachers get help living in city under ambitious plan
*San Francisco has ignored homelessness and is paying the price – Opinion
*Wave of evictions leaves renters few options in record-setting apartment market
*Housing shortage in Central Oregon takes toll on mentally ill
*Portland Council: Nearly Half Of Urban Renewal Funding Will Go To Housing
*Hawaii Governor Declares State of Emergency for Homelessness
Aging
*No Social Security raise as prices climb: Data backs local seniors’ worries
*Study finds state liquor laws saving more women than men
*Multnomah County weighs increasing minimum age to buy tobacco
*Countywide hike in the tobacco-purchase age would make little sense
Local Government
*Our Homeless Crisis: Multnomah County homeless died at rate of more than one a week in 2014
*Keys to addressing Portland’s homelessness problem – Guest Opinion
*Park board should revisit affordable housing – Opinion
*Council Corner: Ashland’s homeless aren’t the problem – Guest Opinion
*The homelessness dilemma
*County gets involved in wildfire prevention project
*Need for new jail is clear – Opinion
*It’s time to build a new jail – Opinion
*Community considers flood plan
*Lane County government to open health clinic for its own employee
*Lodging tax and view to a future – Opinion
*Bend inches closer to boundary proposal
*Questions expected as Washington County property taxes rise
*Tsunami overlay district dumped
These 11 states spend more on prisons than on colleges (Medford Mail Tribune)
-For the last 20 years, state higher education spending has fallen while incarceration rates climbed. Here are 11 states where those lines have crossed, along with four that still spend more on higher education.-
A new report by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences makes the case that state investment in higher education has fallen dramatically over the past decades. Many states are now contributing only a small fraction of the cost of “state” colleges and
universities.
Ed. Note – Oregon is listed amongst the 11 states
What happens to all the money we forget about? (Bend Bulletin)
When Americans lose track of money — in neglected bank accounts, paychecks they forgot to cash and elsewhere — state governments are increasingly aggressive in taking control of the cash.
Now, with those efforts swelling state coffers by more than $40 billion and lawmakers using some of it to patch budget holes, skirmishes are breaking out between states and companies with their own interest in holding on to the unclaimed property.
More States Separate Prostitution, Sex Trafficking – Blog (Stateline – Pew)
Windie Lazenko was a 13-year-old runaway when she was first trafficked for sex.
It happened at a house party she attended with a friend and the girl’s older boyfriend in Orange County, California.
Numerous States Prepare Lawsuits Against Obama’s Climate Policy (New York Times)
As many as 25 states will join some of the nation’s most influential business groups in legal action to block President Obama’s climate change regulations when they are formally published Friday, trying to stop his signature environmental policy.
Washington initiative seeks state penalties for wildlife trafficking (Bend Bulletin)
Importing items like elephant ivory or rhino horns into the United States for commercial purposes has been prohibited for decades under federal law and international treaties. In Washington, voters will weigh in on a ballot measure that would add state penalties to
violators and expand the number of animals prohibited for trade.
Facing epidemic, Baker seeks to limit opioid prescriptions – MA (Boston Globe)
Governor Charlie Baker, facing a deadly scourge of prescription drug and heroin abuse, proposed Thursday to place new limits on how many opioid painkillers doctors and dentists can prescribe to a patient.
Looking to help stanch addiction where it often begins, the wide-ranging bill would limit practitioners to prescribing no more than a 72-hour supply of opioids to patients the first time they prescribe an opioid to them, with exceptions only for certain limited
emergencies.
Long lines drive Colorado lawmakers to eye outsourcing DMV services (Denver Post)
-Legislators think contractors could cut DMV waits-
Just after lunchtime Wednesday, Jeffrey Jordan of Wheat Ridge was running late to get back to work. He hoped to make a quick trip to the state Division of Motor Vehicles office in Lakewood. No such luck. The wait took an hour in the crowded, busy office.
“I would drive an hour if it meant I wouldn’t have to wait in line,” he said, after picking up a copy of his vehicle registration.
California gives victims of revenge p*rn a new way to strike back (Los Angeles Times)
California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris announced a new state website to help victims of revenge p*rn have unauthorized intimate images and other personal information removed from websites.
Vaccines required for daycare workers under new California law (Los Angeles Times)
A new California law will require daycare workers to have vaccinations for measles and whooping cough by next year.
The law was approved this week by Gov. Jerry Brown nearly a year after California’s worst measles outbreak in 24 years began at Disneyland, infecting more than 130 California residents and more than two dozen other people who resided out of state.
America’s Child-Marriage Problem – Guest Opinion (New York Times)
In the United States today, thousands of children under 18 have recently taken marital vows — mostly girls married to adult men, often with approval from local judges. In at least one case, a 10-year-old boy was legally married.
How is this possible? The minimum marriage age in most states is 18, but every state allows exceptions under which children under age 18 can wed.
Democratic candidates for Oregon secretary of state debate in Seaside (Daily Astorian)
Three Democratic candidates for Oregon Secretary of State met in a congenial debate Saturday in front of union leaders at an AFL-CIO convention in Seaside.
Sprenger files for re-election to House District 17 seat (Albany Democrat Herald)
State Rep. Sherrie Sprenger (R-Scio) has filed for re-election for the District 17 seat in the Oregon House of Representatives.
“Since 2008, I’ve had the privilege of representing in Salem the values I share with my friends and neighbors,” she said.
Dennis Richardson changes tune, mulls run for secretary of state (Bend Bulletin)
-Former conservative candidate for governor said in August he “was not interested” in 2016 run-
In a reversal from two months ago, Dennis Richardson, a former Republican state representative who challenged John Kitzhaber for governor in 2014, has dipped his toe into what has become the top statewide race ahead of the 2016 general election.
Southern Oregon real estate agent says he’ll run for governor (Bend Bulletin)
Cliff Thomason, a Southern Oregon real estate agent who is also chief petitioner of a ballot measure involving lottery revenues, plans to announce a 2016 bid for governor as a member of the Independent Party of Oregon.
UCC Strong begins to distribute funds (Douglas County News Record)
Mere weeks after the shooting on the campus of Umpqua Community College, local nonprofits are dispersing the first of several waves of donations to aid those hurt — physically, emotionally and otherwise — by the tragedy.
OPB documentary chronicles Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Salem Statesman Journal)
If you’re in the mood for Shakespeare and local history but don’t want to leave home, “Oregon Experience” will commence its 10th season with the documentary “The Oregon Shakespeare Festival” at 9 p.m. Oct. 19 on OPB TV.
Related story: Where 50,000 Of Oregon Shakespeare Festivals’ Garments Go To Rest
http://www.opb.org/news/article/tour-where-50000-of-oregon-shakespeare-festivals-garments-go-to-rest/
Throwback Thursday quiz: Can you identify these artifacts of Oregon history? (Portland Oregonian)
Remember that scene in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”?
No, not that one. The final scene in the movie, the one with all of the dusty crates. Oregon has a place sort of like that – a government warehouse of rare historical antiquities and artifacts in a secret location. More than 85,000 items are cataloged in the Oregon Historical Society’s warehouse.
Oxbow Trail entrance arch dedicated in Hermiston’s spirit of giving (East Oregonian)
-Partners in the project to create an entrance arch to the Oxbow Trail came together Thursday for a ribbon cutting.-
A new arch marking the entrance to the Oxbow Trail was highlighted as an example of Hermiston’s collaborative spirit during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday.
Roseburg, Oregon: a community of contradictions (Seattle Times)
-In the days after a mass shooter shattered this conservative timber town, a journalist returns to find the people of her hometown to be sharply opinionated, even stubborn, yet eager to do all they can to help each other heal.-
In the homestretch of my seven-hour drive down I-5, a billboard just north of this town invited me to enjoy tapas and craft brews at a place called Salud.
I felt confused.
Guide to reserving a mountaintop lookout in Oregon (Salem Statesman Journal)
Each summer and winter, the U.S. Forest Service rents out a handful of fire lookouts perched atop Oregon mountains from the Strawberries to the Siskiyous to the Cascades.
There’s nothing quite like spending the night atop a mountain, of watching the sun rise and fall over a vast wilderness in a cozy glass hut.
Special Stones (Baker City Herald)
-Baker Rocks Decorate Portland Japanese Garden-
Baker blue granite is being used to construct a Japanese medieval castle wall in Portland.
A private quarry outside of Baker City is the source for stone in the wall that is part of a $33.5 million Portland Japanese Garden Expansion project.
Interactive exhibits highlights food traditions of Oregon’s Latino community through storytelling (Portland Oregonian)
Naureen Khan didn’t want to share her story at first. Her teacher, Oscár Fernández, had brought his Portland State class “Immigration, Migrations and Belonging” to an interactive exhibit focused on how food traditions evolve and adapt for Latin American immigrants and their children.
A sailor’s dream, finished in Astoria (Daily Astorian)
-Hood River man completes 49-day journey from Japan.-
The hull of Tracy Hollister’s boat, the Ingrid Princess, appeared around the breakwater at the West End Mooring Basin just before 2 p.m. Friday.
Orthodox Jews streaming into Portland, thanks to new infrastructure (Portland Oregonian)
Four miles is a long walk, and Jodi Fried remembers the ritual well: her parents, Jewish neighbors, Friday dusk, winding down the westside hills to synagogue.
What ferry? The story behind Boones, Scholls, Taylors road names (Portland Oregonian)
We’re just getting started with this weekly passage through the intersections of Oregon history and pop culture. Just so you know, I’ll occasionally be answering reader questions about everything from abandoned buildings to urban legends.
Wild Rogue backpacking route opens in Southern Oregon(Salem Statesman Journal)
A 25-mile backpacking route in southwest Oregon’s Wild Rogue Wilderness has been restored.
The Ashland-based Siskiyou Mountain Club rebuilt three overgrown and damaged trails this summer to open a route that traverses the most famous sections of the Rogue River canyon while also exploring remote corners of the 35,818 acre wilderness in Curry County east of Agness.
Local UFO sightings fit national increase (East Oregonian)
-The director of the National UFO Reporting Center said UFO sightings have increased in recent years.-
It was 4:30 in the morning, but Ivan Dame swears he was wide awake when he saw an unidentified flying object.
Marijuana use doubles, so does addiction, study says (Portland Oregonian)
The number of people using marijuana has more than doubled since 2001 and so has the number users who are addicted, a new study found.
Published Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry, the report states that nearly 10 percent of adults across the country inhaled or ingested marijuana in 2013. That compares with 4 percent in 2001.
Opinions mixed at marijuana town hall forum(Medford Mail Tribune)
-Jackson County officials host meeting-
Many residents at a marijuana town hall forum hosted by Jackson County officials said grow sites are destroying their quality of life, while others said marijuana will prove to be an economic boon for the area.
Marijuana industry drives Denver metro area’s real estate recovery(Denver Post)
-One in 11 industrial buildings in central Denver now houses marijuana cultivation, CBRE report says-
Your nose isn’t lying: One in 11 industrial buildings in central Denver is full of marijuana. The state’s cannabis industry occupies at least 3.7 million square feet of industrial space in Denver.
California marijuana market readies for ‘robust’ new era (Sacramento Bee)
A new world of weed is coming to the largest marijuana marketplace on the planet.
Gov. Jerry Brown this month signed regulations he said would bring “robust controls” to govern California’s long untamed medical marijuana industry, with clear standards for “local government, law enforcement, businesses, patients and health providers.”
Pot for your pup? Startups cash in on cannabis trend (San Francisco Chronicle)
Suzanne Kisting’s burly 10-year-old, 120-pound St. Bernard, Moose, hobbled down the 40 stairs of her former Inner Sunset District apartment every morning, crippled by pain from severe arthritis.
Kisting tried everything she could to ease it, buying expensive prescriptions drugs and taking him for acupuncture treatments.
NCSL Marijuana Overview – Report (National Conference of State Legislatures)
Voters in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia have legalized small amounts of marijuana for adult recreational use. Colorado and Washington measures passed in 2012, and Alaska, Oregon and District of Columbia in the fall of 2014.
Retired professor warns farmers about genetically modified crops (Capital Press)
A retired Purdue University professor who has warned Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack about the possible dangers of genetically modified crops has urged Ada County Farm Bureau board members to help change the state organization’s policy on labeling food with GMO ingredients.
WSDA to revise rules for checking bulls for ‘trich’ (Capital Press)
The Washington State Department of Agriculture proposes to revise rules for testing bulls for a sexually transmitted disease that causes cows to miscarry.
The revisions will bring Washington’s testing requirements in line with other Western states, simplifying interstate bull sales, Washington State Veterinarian Joe Baker said.
Ag technology on the rise in rural America – Guest Opinion (Capital Press)
-Farm Bureau promotes technological answers to issues facing farmers and ranchers.-
Farmers and ranchers today have access to new agriculture technologies that were once simply a sci-fi dream — drones soaring across corn fields, genetically modified crops growing with fewer pesticides and real-time soil monitoring.
Klamath Basin potato harvest finishes early (Bend Bulletin)
On Friday morning, Martin Aguirre drove a tractor hauling a Grimme across a field near the Wong Potatoes packing house. The machine dug just beneath the ground, pulling out Amarosa fingerling potatoes, shaking off the dirt and placing them in a bin.
Aguirre was finishing one of the last fields of the 2015 harvest. Wong Potatoes wrapped up Friday, almost three weeks ahead of the average year.
New Christmas tree checkoff prepares for fee collection (Capital Press)
Assessments will be collected on Christmas trees for the first time after the 2015 harvest to fund a checkoff program to promote the crop.
Washington Farm Bureau reaffirms support for coal exports (Capital Press)
The Washington Farm Bureau has joined the newest push for a $680 million coal expert terminal on the Lower Columbia River, arguing that overall improvements in rail lines and ports will benefit agriculture.
Audit: USDA disregards GMO field trial problems (Capital Press)
-Biotech field trials were approved by USDA despite past problems with protocol violations, an internal audit alleges.-
USDA’s biotechnology regulators don’t take past non-compliance problems into account when approving new field trials for regulated genetically engineered crops, according to an internal audit.
Organic administrator faces backlash (Capital Press)
-Many organic groups that once praised USDA deputy administrator Miles McEvoy are now fighting his policies in federal court.-
When Miles McEvoy was put in charge of the USDA’s National Organic Program in 2009, the appointment was strongly applauded by organic and environmental groups.
A Dangerous Cycle in Food Production (New York Times)
From coffee to cocoa, and almonds to blueberries, some of the world’s most nutritionally and economically vital food crops are vulnerable to declines caused by catastrophic die-offs of the bees whose pollination is key to their life cycle.
Taking on the Superbugs (New York Times)
As fears grow of a future in which antibiotics are powerless against rampaging infections in humans, experts are stepping up the call to act on what they say is a large part of the problem: overuse of the drugs on farm animals.
App provides training for farmworkers in proper hand-washing (Capital Press)
The California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement has unveiled a mobile device application that takes farmworkers through a five-minute training in how to wash their hands thoroughly and frequently enough to avoid foodborne illness outbreaks.
Quinoa thrives in N. California (Capital Press)
-Blake Richard started growing quinoa on California’s north coast 17 years ago. He now is marketing some of his product through a wholesaler to Whole Foods.-
Tucked amid the vast cattle and dairy properties on California’s north coast are fields of quinoa planted by Blake Richard.
Idaho grower experimenting with mineral oil in potato seed (Capital Press)
An Eastern Idaho seed potato grower is experimenting with mineral oil as a cheap but potentially effective way to limit the transmission of aphid-vectored crop diseases.
Idaho begins yearlong process to set new grazing rates (Capital Press)
State officials say Idaho grazing rates appear to have fallen behind when compared with what private landowners charge and what neighboring states charge for their trust grazing land.
Expert: Use fencing, buffer zones wisely (Capital Press)
University of California-Davis rangeland watershed sciences professor Kenneth Tate says the majority of E.coli in “fecal pats” remains within 1 yard, and that narrow buffer zones are effective.
Rangeland experts call for site-specific plans near streams (Capital Press)
A one-size-fits-all regulatory ban ignores the benefits of well-managed livestock grazing near streams, two rangeland experts say.
Tiny Wasps May Help Fight Stink Bugs (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Scientists from Washington State University have discovered a parasitic wasp in the state that kills its host like a scene from the movie “Alien.” But the discovery is good news because the wasp kills a type of stink bug that harms fruit orchards.
Plant center devises new wildflower seed harvest method (Capital Press)
The USDA’s Plant Materials Center has devised a new harvesting method that should improve the viability of raising wildflowers that produce tiny, airborne seeds that mature at different intervals.
Crews plant sagebrush seedlings in fire-damaged areas (Capital Press)
Crews are working to plant sagebrush seedlings in areas of the Twin Falls District of the Bureau of Land Management what were burned by wildland fires.
Move Over Wheat, Demand Rises For ‘Ancient’ Alternatives (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
According to an industry trade group, sales of alternatives to modern wheat are growing at double-digit annual rates.
If you’ve spent much time in the baking aisle at the grocery store, you may have noticed the increasing prominence of “gluten free” or “ancient grains” on labels.
Eugene’s Hynix plant sold to unidentified buyer for $20 million (Eugene Register Guard)
-Transaction now in escrow; sale completion date uncertain-
Empty for seven years, the massive Hynix manufacturing plant that once employed 1,100 Eugene workers has sold at an auction.
The sale is in escrow and awaiting finalization, according to the auction.com website, which oversaw the Thursday sale.
Mystery solved? Data center indicates it now owns Hynix’s Eugene chip factory (Portland Oregonian)
A data center operator is apparently the mystery buyer who paid $20 million last week for Hynix’s shuttered memory chip factory in Eugene.
A company called True Data Centers, whose backers have pursued the Eugene site for more than three years, has put the old Hynix facility on its website; True describes the property as a “Eugene Technology
Property at Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum faces foreclosure auction (Portland Oregonian)
Property at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum and the neighboring Wings & Waves Waterpark in McMinnville is scheduled to be offered for sale in a foreclosure auction on the Yamhill County Courthouse steps, a Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office spokesman says.
Social Responsibility That Rubs Right Off (New York Times)
Until recently, Volkswagen was waging a relentless campaign to portray itself as an environmental steward, its cars on the vanguard of a clean energy revolution. It promoted diesel as a low-emissions alternative to gasoline and spent $77 million this year in the American market to advertise its diesel cars, often proclaiming their greenness.
Reopening of the Siskiyou Line means trucking companies will take a hit (Medford Mail Tribune)
Twice a day, Larry Smothers heads his Peterbilt truck down Interstate 5, over the Siskiyou Summit to the Roseburg Forest Products mill in Weed, Calif., returning to White City with a load of veneer destined for the Umpqua Valley
Report: Portland retail sales growth highest in nation (Portland Oregonian)
Portland is the place to be if you’re in retail, according to a study released last week.
Applied Predictive Technologies, a cloud-based analytics firm based in Arlington, Virginia, found Portland on the top of the pack in terms of year-over-year retail sales gains in September.
Where does Portland rank in office-space vacancy? (Portland Oregonian)
Only San Francisco and Salt Lake City have lower office vacancy rates than Portland, according to a new report from the commercial real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle.
The vacancy rate in Portland held steady at 9.1 percent – a 15-year low – despite 270,000 square feet of new or redeveloped office space hitting the market in the last quarter, the report found.
This Oregon Man Will Write Your Opinion For You (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Have a strong feeling about something but aren’t quite sure how to articulate what you want to say? Oregon resident Chris Trejbal will write your opinion for you.
Craft beer is booming, but some still worry (Bend Bulletin)
Looking at the wide array of taps at bars these days, we seem to be in a golden age of beer. The world is awash in ales, lagers and porters, many made by small breweries, which are gaining an ever bigger share of the market.
Jeld-Wen committed to Klamath Falls (Klamath Falls Herald and News)
-‘We’re not leaving Klamath Falls,’ CEO declares-
Although the administrative headquarters of Jeld-Wen moved to Charlotte, N.C., the company’s CEO and President Kirk Hachigian said Klamath Falls remains the “nucleus” of the $3.5 billion company.
The window and door manufacturer, initially owned and operated by the late Richard “Dick” Wendt and later purchased by Canadian investment firm, Onex, sells products worldwide in 20 countries.
Woodgrain Millwork leaving Prineville (Bend Bulletin)
-Company to close remaining operations, eliminating 55 jobs-
Woodgrain Millwork is closing the last of its operations in Prineville, a move that means layoffs or relocation for the remaining 55 employees, a company executive announced today.
Is Bend Becoming The Next Startup Haven? (Bend Bulletin)
Andrea Bouma waited near the stage at the Bend Venture Conference, her cheeks flushed. She clutched a handful of note cards. She was preparing to stand in front of hundreds of people and pitch her business idea.
Georgia named one of the best states for business (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Forbes recently released its ranking of America’s best states for business and best states for future job growth — and Georgia ranked among the top 15 for both categories.
Ed. Note: Oregon ranks #12, #6 in future job growth
Fed Beige Book: US economy expands at moderate pace, fueled by consumer spending, auto sales (Eugene Register Guard)
The Federal Reserve says steady consumer spending and an improving housing market spurred modest U.S. economic growth in the late summer, though factory output was sluggish in part because of the strong dollar.
The Fed said Wednesday in its latest snapshot of the economy that nine of its 12 regional banks reported that growth was moderate or modest from mid-August through the beginning of October.
US producer prices dropped 0.5 percent in September as gas and food costs wane (Eugene Register Guard)
Prices fell for manufacturers, farmers and other producers in September, as lower energy costs have limited broader inflation.
The Labor Department said Wednesday that the producer price index, which measures price changes before they reach the consumer, dropped 0.5 percent last month after being unchanged in August.
Consumer prices fall 0.2 percent in September, pulled down by freefall in gasoline prices (Eugene Register Guard)
The Labor Department says U.S. consumer prices were dragged lower again last month by plunging energy costs.
The consumer price index fell 0.2 percent in September, following a 0.1 percent drop in August. Gasoline prices dropped 9 percent last month after falling 4.1 percent in August.
US factory output falls for 2nd straight month in latest sign of sluggish economy (Eugene Register Guard)
U.S. manufacturing production fell for the second straight month in September as factories cranked out fewer appliances, computers, and electronics.
Factory output declined 0.1 percent, the Federal Reserve said Friday, following a drop of 0.4 percent in August. Manufacturers also cut back on production of steel and other metals.
US job openings dipped in August; hiring was flat after stronger spring (Eugene Register Guard)
U.S. employers advertised fewer job openings in August and kept hiring flat, another sign the American jobs market has lost strength since spring.
The Labor Department reported Friday that job openings slid to 5.4 million in August from a record high 5.7 million in July. Hiring was little-changed at 5.1 million.
Optimism fading about economy’s strength(Eugene Register Guard)
-Weakness around the world and cautious American consumers add to worries about long-term health-
Consumers, fueled by job growth, cheaper gas and higher home values, would drive the U.S. economy through a global slump.
That was the widespread hope just a few months ago. Now, doubts are growing that the United States can withstand economic pressures flowing from overseas. Economies in China, Canada, Brazil and Europe are struggling. Canada, the largest U.S. trading partner, is in
recession.
Currency manipulation allows TPP partners to skirt the deal – Guest Opinion (Capital Press)
Trade partners will get around agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership by manipulating the value of their currencies compared to the U.S. dollar.
Negotiators have wrapped up the hidden agreements in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a massive trade bill that includes the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim nations.
Yes, Portland Is Indeed A Foodie City (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
It’s not just your imagination: there are a lot of restaurants in Portland. In fact, at least one out of every ten people in the region are employed in the food economy.
Holiday shoppers expected to spend more this year (Boston Globe)
The elements for a strong holiday shopping season seem to be in place: rising incomes, falling unemployment, and growing consumer confidence. All that’s lacking, retail analysts say, are new, interesting products to buy.
That missing ingredient is expected to tamp down spending and lead to another year of modest sales growth during the most wonderful time of the year for retailers.
California shows how paid leave law affects businesses: Not much (Idaho Statesman)
As presidential candidates debate government-mandated paid family leave, the United States has a 39 million-person test lab.
California in 2004 enacted the nation’s first such program, ensuring workers are paid for as long as six weeks when caring for a newborn or ailing loved one.
Millennials around the world worry most about economic inequality (Salem Statesman Journal)
Millennials around the world worry most about social and economic equality, remain skeptical of government and the media, and count Tesla CEO Elon Musk as one their heroes, according to a World Economic Forum survey released Sunday.
Car buyers, student loans fuel record U.S. borrowing (Bend Bulletin)
It’s starting to feel as if the good times have returned at Diamond Jim’s Motor Cars, with its sales of used cars up at least 30 percent this summer from the same period last year.
Employers cut jobs in most US states in September as nationwide hiring slows (US News & World Report)
Most U.S. states reported jobs losses in September as slowing growth has weighed on hiring nationwide in the past two months.
The Labor Department said Tuesday that hiring increased in just 20 states last month, the fewest since March. Twenty-seven states lost jobs and three reported no change.
US sales of new homes sink 11.5 pct. in September; buying in Northeast plummets 61.8 pct. (Eugene Register Guard)
Sales of new homes plunged sharply in September to the slowest pace in 10 months, as higher prices and slower overall economic growth weigh on the housing market.
The Commerce Department said Monday that new-home sales slumped 11.5 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 468,000, the lowest level since November of 2014. September’s drop ended a two-month streak of accelerating sales.
Washington County Lays Groundwork For More Tech Development (Oregon Public Boradcasting)
Washington County commissioners approved a nearly 1,100 acre urban renewal area in north Hillsboro with a 4-1 vote Tuesday.
The area being “renewed” is part suburban, part farmland, zoned industrial — but not urban. Hillsboro Mayor Jerry Willey said the vision is for high-tech jobs in the area.
Many jobs go lacking in South County (Daily Astorian)
Clatsop Community College has a strong presence in North County, where its main campus sits. It has served the North Coast and Southwest Washington since 1958, but college representatives acknowledged last week that South Clatsop County is being “underutilized.”
$5 million worth of confidence in the local economy – Opinion (Ontario Argus Observer)
In the last two weeks, the Western Treasure Valley has seen investments of nearly $5 million. That’s a great vote of confidence in the local economy.
Local Politics and the Malaise of the Millennials (Governing)
-The statistics on their participation in community life and elections are dismal. There’s no one-size-fits-all fix.-
Researchers at Oregon’s Portland State University released a report this summer outlining patterns among voters in local elections utilizing voting data from four cities: Charlotte, Detroit, Portland and Saint Paul. Unsurprisingly, they found that most people are
not voting in local elections. Only about 30 percent of registered voters cast their ballots for mayor in the course of the study.
Gov. Brown approves automatic voter registration for Californians (Los Angeles Times)
Targeting California’s recent record-low voter turnout, Gov. Jerry Brown on Saturday signed a measure that would eventually allow Californians to be automatically registered to vote when they go the DMV to obtain or renew a driver’s license.
Voter ID Battle Shifts to Kansas (New York Times)
Amelia Flores, a high school senior with plans to become an electrical engineer, eagerly filled out a form to register to vote for the first time at the Kansas State Fair last month. But she left the fair without registering, stymied by a state law championed by
Republicans who dominate elected offices in Kansas that requires her to provide proof of citizenship.
Which States Could Adopt Automatic Voter Registration Next? (Governing)
-Several states may soon follow California and Oregon’s lead, but almost all of them are Democratic-led.-
If Americans needed any further proof that voting itself has become a partisan battleground, look no further than proposals calling for automatic voter registration.
California this month enacted a law that will automatically register people to vote when they get or renew a driver’s license or state identification card from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), following the example set by Oregon several months ago.
Maine’s Struggle to Keep Elections Clean and Free of Big Money (Governing)
-Maine pioneered the public campaign financing system that became a model for other states. It’s since been weakened, but voters could give it new life in November.-
In November, Maine voters will decide whether or not to increase the public campaign funds for gubernatorial and state legislative races that some say help maintain the working-class character of the legislature and keep big, private money out of politics.
Judge bars Indiana from enforcing ‘ballot selfie law’ (Indianapolis Star)
A federal judge Monday barred Indiana from enforcing a new law that prohibits voters from taking photos of their election ballots and sharing the images on social media.
Counties to work with tribal governments on voting access – MT (Billings Gazette)
Montana’s secretary of state is directing all counties with American Indian reservations to work with tribal governments to establish satellite election offices if they are required under the Federal Voting Rights Act, and if the tribal governments request them.
Federal appeals court rules Google’s massive online library does not violate copyright laws (Eugene Register Guard)
Google is not violating copyright laws by digitizing books for a massive online library, a federal appeals court ruled Friday in a decadelong dispute by authors worried that the project would spoil the market for their books.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan agreed with a judge who concluded that the snippets Google showed customers from its database did not violate copyright laws.
Google book-scanning project legal, says U.S. appeals court – Report (Reuters)
A U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday that Google’s massive effort to scan millions of books for an online library does not violate copyright law, rejecting claims from a group of authors that the project illegally deprives them of revenue.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York rejected infringement claims from the Authors Guild and several individual writers, and found that the project provides a public service without violating intellectual property law.
Fired deputy district attorneys have another day in court (Bend Bulletin)
-9th Circuit hears Deschutes County case-
Nearly a year after Patrick Flaherty completed his only term as district attorney of Deschutes County, it remains at issue whether the County Commission should be held liable as part of a wrongful termination lawsuit initiated by three former deputy district attorneys fired at the outset of Flaherty’s tenure.
Washington County judge who stopped doing weddings to retire (Portland Oregonian)
Washington County Circuit Judge Thomas Kohl will retire at the end of the year, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced in a statement Wednesday.
Lawmakers look at public defense jurisdiction, records – ID (Idaho Statesman)
A group of lawmakers tasked with improving Idaho’s public defense system is considering draft legislation that would clarify the jurisdiction of state appellate public defenders, track the workload of public defense attorneys and tweak the funding structure
for some training events.
Some lawmakers also expressed interest in building a statewide public defense system that would offer counties a carrot — in the form of increased funding or other incentives — if they agreed to comply with certain public defense standards.
Why the Supreme Court cares about your electric bill – Guest Opinion (Bend Bulletin)
When I clerked on the D.C. Circuit in the 1990s, my friends and I dreaded getting “FERC-ed,” which was what we called being assigned a case involving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The very word FERC can still give me a nightmare in which I’m chased through
an endless pipeline by relentless administrative lawyers.
Washington court slams door on public’s right to know (Capital Press)
-The Washington Supreme Court has given every council, board, body and even the legislature a way to avoid public scrutiny as they do the public’s business.-
That slam you just heard from the Washington Supreme Court was the door closing as the justices provided a legal way for the legislature and every public body to avoid public scrutiny as they carry out the public’s business.
State gun laws upheld, but logic is complicated (Bend Bulletin)
On the surface, Monday’s decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit upholding most of the assault weapons bans passed by New York and Connecticut is a win for gun-control advocates.
But down in the weeds, the unanimous decision by a panel of three Democratic appointees nevertheless points to potential trouble for similar laws should they ever be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
‘Snippets’ get a ‘go’ – Opinion (Eugene Register Guard)
-A court rules Google isn’t violating copyright laws-
Google Books, a project of the search engine giant that aims eventually to digitize the world’s more than 100 million books so they can be accessed online, has gotten another green light from a federal appeals court.
Morrow County to drop county judge position (East Oregonian))
-Morrow County commissioners voted to eliminate the county judge position and shift juvenile cases to circuit court.-
Big changes are coming to Morrow County government.
How to Get Around a Criminal Record – Opinion (New York Times)
In May, a federal judge in Brooklyn took the extraordinary step of expunging the conviction of a woman he had sentenced to five years of probation more than a decade earlier for her involvement in an insurance fraud scheme that netted her $2,500.
Lawsuits Target ‘Debtors’ Prisons’ Across the Country (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Civil rights lawyers are using a new strategy to change a common court practice that they have long argued unfairly targets the poor.
At issue is the way courts across the country sometimes issue arrest warrants for indigent people when they fall behind on paying court fees and fines owed for minor offenses like traffic tickets.
The Legal Consequences of Ignoring Climate Change (Governing)
-Local decision-makers who fail to prepare their communities for climate change could find themselves in court.-
Last month, in a case that sent shivers through corporate America, a former peanut-company executive was sentenced to 28 years in prison for his role in a deadly salmonella outbreak.
Emergency surcharge fails to meet court’s funding gap – ID (Idaho Statesman)
Officials with the Idaho Supreme Court say the state’s emergency solution to fill a $4 million funding gap for Idaho’s court system has come up short.
Portland Police Hold Forums On Body Cameras(Oregon Public Broadcasting)
The Portland Police Department is hosting two forums this week to discuss how body cameras should be used.
Is Police Progress on Federal Reforms Up To Snuff?(Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Portland police officers are using their fists, batons, Tasers and guns significantly less than they did five years ago.
That was among the findings presented to U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon in an update Wednesday about ongoing reforms the Portland Police Bureau is making.
Experts: Washington State Patrol ‘Bleeding’ People (Oregon Public Boradcasting)
Consultants leading a study on why dozens of troopers have recently left the Washington State Patrol warned Thursday that the agency is in “dire straits.”
F.B.I. Chief Links Scrutiny of Police With Rise in Violent Crime(New York Times)
The F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, said on Friday that the additional scrutiny and criticism of police officers in the wake of highly publicized episodes of police brutality may have led to an increase in violent crime in some cities as officers have become less
aggressive.
The Disproportionate Risks of Driving While Black(New York Times)
-An examination of traffic stops and arrests in Greensboro, N.C., uncovered wide racial differences in measure after measure of police conduct.-
Rufus Scales, 26 and black, was driving his younger brother Devin to his hair-cutting class in this genteel, leafy city when they heard the siren’s whoop and saw the blue light in the rearview mirror of their black pickup.
Materials on 2014 Drug Guidelines Amendment(United States Sentencing Commission)
In April 2014, the United States Sentencing Commission voted unanimously to reduce sentencing guidelines for most federal drug trafficking offenders. In July 2014, the Commission voted, again unanimously, to make this sentencing reduction retroactive (effective on November 1, 2014).
Multistate Criminal History Patterns of Prisoners Released in 30 States – Report(US DOJ – Bureau of Justice Programs)
During their criminal careers prior to and for 5 years following release, the 404,638 prisoners released in 2005 in 30 states were arrested an estimated 5.5 million times.
This total included arrests made by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.
Trends in Juvenile Justice State Legislation 2011-2015 – NCSL Report(Models of Change)
In the past five years, juvenile justice reform legislation in the United States has grown at a remarkable pace. The recent shift in juvenile justice policy marks a clear departure from laws enacted 20 years ago.
Major reforms afoot for juvenile offenders – MI(Detroit Free Press)
A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the state House of Representatives introduced a package of bills last week that makes major reforms to how juvenile offenders are treated.
PA juvenile offenders given psychiatric drugs at high rates – PA (Public Source.org)
-Psychiatric drugs flow at the state-operated secure youth correctional facilities, where chronic and violent juvenile offenders are sent. Are they drugged into behaving?-
It’s the end of the line for these kids. They’ve fallen through every safety net, and they keep making the same mistakes or more violent ones.
A Disadvantaged Start Hurts Boys More Than Girls(New York Times)
Boys are falling behind. They graduate from high school and attend college at lower rates than girls and are more likely to get in trouble, which can hurt them when they enter the job market. This gender gap exists across the United States, but it is far bigger for poor people and for black people. As society becomes more unequal, it seems, it hurts boys more.
The Myth of Welfare’s Corrupting Influence on the Poor(New York Times)
Does welfare corrupt the poor?
Few ideas are so deeply ingrained in the American popular imagination as the belief that government aid for poor people will just encourage bad behavior.
Arizona first to establish lifetime limit on cash assistance program(Arizona Republic)
Arizona will become the first and only state to impose a one-year lifetime limit for impoverished households receiving federal benefits from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program – a move that will cut payments to about 1,600 families in July.
Child Support Digest Volume 3, Number 3(NCSL)
Welcome to the Child Support Digest, a quarterly publication of the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Child Support Project.
The digest covers current trends in child support policy and enforcement and includes summaries of state legislation, news articles, the latest research and information on upcoming events and resources related to child support.
Park district will not revisit affordable housing(Bend Bulletin)
-Board unconvinced fee exemption effective-
The Bend Park & Recreation District does not plan to revisit a proposal to boost the construction of affordable housing by reducing or waiving fees levied against new development.
Affordable housing can fit – Opinion (Eugene Register Guard)
-Bascom Village will be part of its neighborhood-
Nearly everyone agrees that affordable housing is a good idea — even essential, given the chronic mismatch between local wages and rents. But not everyone is happy to learn that an affordable housing project will be built nearby.
No vacancy: Creative solutions needed for affordable housing(Daily Astorian)
-Astoria apartments can’t fill up quick enough.-
When Richard Krueger was finishing the 24 units in the first phase of the Yacht Club Apartments near the Old Youngs Bay Bridge in spring 2014, he said the second phase would come once the first filled up.
US home sales climb 4.7 percent in September; strong demand but few homes coming onto market(Eugene Register Guard)
Americans snapped up more homes in September, suggesting that the U.S. housing sector remains insulated from global economic turmoil.
The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that sales of existing homes jumped 4.7 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.55 million.
Are Homeowners Getting Slammed For Building ‘Granny Flats?’ (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
The city of Portland has been promoting the construction of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), which are tiny dwelling spaces that people add to their homes, in order to save space and energy. But according to a new piece in the Portland Tribune today, the county’s approach to those structures have led to dramatically higher property taxes.
Granny flat builders getting creamed by Multnomah County on their taxes(Portland Tribune)
When Portland homeowners open up property tax bills in the mail this week, most will notice 2015-16 taxes are going up about 3 percent or a tad more.
In contrast, Randal Groves’ taxes are shooting up almost 500 percent.
Will The ‘State Of Emergency’ Help Solve The Homeless Crisis(Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Last month Portland Mayor Charlie Hales asked the City Council to declare a state of emergency for housing and homelessness. We talk to homeless service agencies about how that plan is working, and what needs to happen to solve the problem.
Boardman subdivision soothes demand of commuting workforce(East Oregonian)
Just shy of a year after breaking ground, Boardman’s new Tuscany subdivision celebrated the completion of its first two houses Friday on South Main Street and Wilson Lane.
S.F. teachers get help living in city under ambitious plan(San Francisco Chronicle)
Mayor Ed Lee and the San Francisco Unified School District announced Wednesday they plan to build a 100-unit housing complex solely for public school teachers and paraprofessionals, and invest up to $44 million over the next five years to help them purchase homes.
San Francisco has ignored homelessness and is paying the price – Opinion (San Francisco Chronicle)
San Francisco’s leadership has neglected the city’s homeless problem for years — and now it’s reached a crisis point.
Homelessness is not a new problem in San Francisco. For decades, it’s evaded the best efforts of a succession of mayors, including those who believed they had bulletproof solutions.
Wave of evictions leaves renters few options in record-setting apartment market(Portland Oregonian)
Mary Gabelsberger will manage, somehow. She’ll just have to “lose a little weight,” she says.
Gabelsberger, 77, lives alone on a modest Social Security income. Her four children are scattered all across the country. With the help of federal housing assistance, Gabelsberger has been able to afford her $600 monthly rent on Southeast 29th Avenue, around the corner from a Safeway on Hawthorne Boulevard.
Housing shortage in Central Oregon takes toll on mentally ill(Bend Bulletin)
-Deschutes County can help with rent — if a place to stay can be found-
The lack of housing might be dire in Central Oregon, but the situation is even more so for those who experience mental illness.
Housing exists in the form of residential treatment facilities and temporary motel stays, but long-term housing options are often few and far between.
Portland Council: Nearly Half Of Urban Renewal Funding Will Go To Housing (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
The Portland City Council has enough votes to pass a proposal that would increase funding for affordable housing in the city’s urban renewal areas.
Hawaii Governor Declares State of Emergency for Homelessness(Honolulu Civil Beat)
-Move gives officials access to $1.3 million to expand efforts to house people living on the streets.-
Gov. David Ige issued an emergency proclamation Friday to address Hawaii’s homelessness crisis, a move that allows him to tap into the state’s general revenue funds reserved for “the immediate relief of the conditions created by the disaster.”
No Social Security raise as prices climb: Data backs local seniors’ worries (Seattle Times)
-The recent decision to forgo a national cost-of-living increase for recipients of Social Security ignores life’s realities for local recipients.-
“It’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,” Phyllis Reynolds tells me. The 73-year-old Central District resident doesn’t mince words.
I am speaking with her about — of all things — cheap gas. Why? Because that’s the main reason that there will be no cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security recipients next year.
Study finds state liquor laws saving more women than men(Boston Globe)
Stricter alcohol laws save lives — but for women more than men.
That’s the conclusion of a study published Thursday in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease. A team led by researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital and the Boston University School of Public Health found that women are less likely to die from alcoholic
cirrhosis in states where it is harder to buy booze or where drunk driving is more severely punished.
Multnomah County weighs increasing minimum age to buy tobacco (Portland Oregonian)
Public health advocates asked the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday to raise the minimum age to purchase cigarettes from 18 to 21.
Countywide hike in the tobacco-purchase age would make little sense – Opinion (Portland Oregonian)
Multnomah County Commissioner Jules Bailey expressed support last week for a three-year increase in the minimum age for buying tobacco products. Setting the age floor at 21 “only makes sense,” he said, “and we can save a lot of lives doing it.” None of his four colleagues echoed his enthusiasm at the time, and those who’ve spoken since have been politely noncommittal.
Our Homeless Crisis: Multnomah County homeless died at rate of more than one a week in 2014(Portland Oregonian)
Homeless men and women still die on the streets of Multnomah County at the rate of more than one a week, despite renewed attention from city and county leaders.
Keys to addressing Portland’s homelessness problem – Guest Opinion (Portland Oregonian)
Recently, Portland’s mayor and Multnomah County’s chair pledged an additional $30 million to help solve the homeless crisis facing our community. This announcement was followed by City Council declaring a state of emergency regarding homelessness in Portland.
Park board should revisit affordable housing – Opinion (Bend Bulletin)
Nathan Hovekamp does not want the Bend Park & Recreation District to reconsider exempting fees to help developers build affordable housing.
We think the park board member is wrong. The board should revisit the issue.
Council Corner: Ashland’s homeless aren’t the problem – Opinion (Ashland Daily Tidings)
The City Council will be addressing issues involving downtown behavior at a series of meetings in the next month. Everyone has the right to feel safe, regardless of who they are, and every Ashland business should have the opportunity to succeed without others unduly
interfering.
The homelessness dilemma(Daily Astorian)
All summer, police in Astoria and Warrenton have dealt with more homelessness-related calls than officers can ever remember.
County gets involved in wildfire prevention project (Bend Bulletin)
-Federal funding will help reduce vegetation and protect residential communities-
Deschutes County will oversee a $4 million project during the next three years that will create fire breaks around residential homes by removing vegetation.
A grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be used to address potential wildfire hazards on 3,780 acres in Deschutes, Klamath and Crook counties.
Need for new jail is clear – Opinion (Corvallis Gazette Times)
Let’s divide the debate over the proposed new Benton County Jail into two parts, and deal with them separately.
The first part is reasonably straightforward: Do we need a new jail in the first place? We think the answer to that is clearly yes, and we’ll address that issue today.
It’s time to build a new jail – Opinion (Corvallis Gazette Times)
Let’s wrap up our conversation about the jail with some final thoughts about the plan Benton County officials have presented to voters for their approval in the Nov. 3 election.
We wrote yesterday about how we believe the need for the new jail has been evident for some time. The question now is this: Is the plan before us, for a $25 million bond measure, the best possible plan for the taxpayers in the county?
Community considers flood plan(Blue Mountain Eagle)
-At a community meeting in Grant Union High School’s old gym last week, county engineer Doug Ferguson presented a short-term plan to reduce the increased flood risk caused by the 110,00-acre Canyon Complex Fire.-
Residents along Canyon Creek in Canyon City and John Day have a chance to take flood protection into their own hands. More specifically, their own backyards.
Lane County government to open health clinic for its own employees(Eugene Register Guard)
Lane County is set to open its own health clinic to serve its almost 1,500 employees and their families.
The clinic, to be staffed by nurse practitioners, will provide routine primary medical care, preventive treatments and health screenings, mostly free of charge. It also will help county employees manage their chronic health conditions.
Lodging tax and view to a future – Opinion (Coos Bay World)
-Coos County lodging tax takes advantage of opportunity at hand-
Voters will be asked in this November’s special election whether Coos County should enact what’s called a transient lodging tax — basically, a tax on hotel and motel rooms, campgrounds and RV parks and vacation rentals.
Bend inches closer to boundary proposal(Bend Bulletin)
-Panel OKs bringing 1,800 acres into city-
Certainty is beginning to creep into the city of Bend’s urban growth boundary expansion, as the body overseeing the process voted at a meeting Thursday to approve a preliminary version of the city’s new, vaster footprint.
Questions expected as Washington County property taxes rise(Portland Oregonian)
Nearly 200,000 property tax statements, seeking a cumulative increase of up to 5 percent over what was collected last year, will be mailed to Washington County residents in the next few days.
Tsunami overlay district dumped(Daily Astorian)
Clatsop County commissioners, facing a standing-room-only crowd Wednesday night, Oct. 14, voted to indefinitely table a controversial tsunami hazard overlay district.
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